Paillé lost his seat in the 2011 election which also resulted in the defeat and resignation of Gilles Duceppe (the previous BQ leader) and the reduction of the BQ to four seats. He was defeated by the NDP's Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet. Despite losing his seat, he succeeded Gilles Duceppe as Party Leader in the 2011 Bloc Québécois leadership election. Paillé defeated two sitting Bloc Québécois Members of Parliament to be elected BQ leader on December 11, 2011.[4]